Amalgamator.



1.. m I L G I T S W AMALGAMATOR. APPLICATION FILED 11111.4. 1906-.

Save l'o'ralbum:

1w: NORRIS PETERS 60-. WAIIHNOION, a c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. STIGLITZ, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

AMALGAMA'IOR.

Application filed January 4, 1906.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 1'7, 1907. Serial No. 294,671.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. STreLrTz, a citizen of the United States, residing at N o. 2601 Shelby street, Louisville, in the county of Jefferson and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Amalgamators; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a horizontal, transverse sectional view of my amalgamator through the line X X of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view of the same on the line X X of Fig. 1.

' elevation of the amalgamator, and Fig. 4 is a plan view of the mercury basin.

This invention has most particular reference to the type of amalgamators embodied in Patent No. 699,550 which was granted to McKelvey and myself May 6, 1902. In the amalgamator referred to the ore to be amalgamated is poured into a central column or sluice tube at the outlet end of which there is arranged a mercurycontaining basin in which the metal was extracted from the ore. From this basin the tailings or residue enters tailings columns or outlet tubes, which are erected at opposite sides of the central column, and in the tailings columns the tailings are subjected to the actions of flowing streams of water which enter the columns through inlet apertures in the latter. These inlet apertures are arranged at various angles of inclinations.

The present structure is like the former one in so far as the latter has been thus far described, but it differs radically from the former in many respects, the features of difference being such as are intended to and in practice actually do so improve the machine as to give it much greater efficiency than it formely had. In the former machine the case was oblong and the structure illustrated was such as essentially to restrict the amalgamator to the use of not more than two tailings or overflow columns. This gave the amalgamator very limited capacity, for the reason that the capacity of the machine depends on the number rather than on the size of the outlet pipes or tailings columns, it being necessary or desirable to cause as little agitation of the quicksilver as possible. In the former machine, the tailings columns or outlet pipes, at the sides presented to the central or sluice column or tube were vertical in a plane parallel with that of the sluice tube, and while they were of larger diameter at the top than at the bottom, yet it was found in practice that the full beneficial effect of the rotary or panning motion of the water was not obtained. Moreover, in the former machine, the top was flat and the two outlet pipes terminated even Fig. 3 is a rear the amalgamator. smaller at their inlet than at their outlet ends, as in with the same. This, in practice, caused the sand to bank and interfered with the rotary motion in the tailings columns, which was necessary to secure the best results. Again, in the former machine, the central part of the bottom of the mercury basin was of pronounced concave-convex shape with the inlet or feed column over the deepest part of the basin and the two tailings or outlet columns over the shallower, and very shallow, ends thereof. This form was not economical in the use of mercury and the latter was agitated to a greater extent than desirable.

The present invention aims to overcome these and other disadvantages to which the former in practice was found to be subject, and it accomplishes its purpose by the following several improvements:The casing and the sluice column or tube E and outlet tubes or columns A, B, O and D are circular and permit the use of a great number of tailings columns or outlet tubes.

Four such are shown, but this number may be greatly increased, thus materially increasing the capacity of While the tailings columns are the previous construction, yet the said columns in the present case are circular in cross section and the flare is a regular one, and the relation of the tailings columns to the central column or sluice tube E is such as to provide between them a space which is provided with an apertured wall I and forms anintermediate chamber I which is arranged contiguous to the bases of the columns and through the apertures in the wall J of which water flows under pressure, from the chamber In this becomes 0 which surrounds the tubes or columns. intermediate chamber the mercury which separated from the main body is received and from it such broken-up or separated mercury is forced back by p the continued inpouring from the center feed column or sluice tube E. This chamber forms a very important part of the present machine. In the present machine, the columns extend above the top T ofthe casing and the latter is inclined from its center so as to conduct the ore-freed material away from said columns and prevent its interference with the motion of the water and material in the columns. In the present case the bottom of the mercury basin P is approximately flat and the basin is of external shape corresponding to the shape of the several columns and their relation to each other. Thus, in a machine having four tailings columns, the mercury basin will be of the shape shown in plan in Fig. 4, with the sluice column E over its central portion 10 and the tailings columns A, B, O and D over the respective branches p which are approximately of the same depth as the central portion p. By this arrangement, not only is the capacity of the amalgamator increased, but the use -of mercury is economized and the mercury is agitated much less than before. In general it may be stated that the circular construction of the machine and its parts thus makes it possible practically to increase to a very material extent the capacity of the machine, and the structure and arrangement of the parts shown gives the machine the important quality of enabling it efficiently to subject the material both in the intermediate chamber I and in the outlet pipes or tailings columns A, B, G and D hydraulically to a whirling or rotary motion analogous to that which it receives in the ordinary panning operation. It thus secures most eilicient results from the mercury and water.

In addition to the foregoing advantages, the present machine in the lorm shown has a detachable mercury pan and, in fact, the entire machine may be taken apart and shipped or carried in sections.

A more detailed description oi the construction of my machine is as follows:

My machine, constructed preferably of iron castings and sheet and angle iron, consists of a detachable quicksilver basin, P, which is lasteued by bolts and tap screws to a bottom circular plate, P having live or more circular openings in same, one in the center and four or more surrounding the same. This basin and plate, to which is attached bybolts the circular side wall, made ol sheet iron riveted to angle iron at the top and bottom, iorm a case, within which is arranged in the center, a sluice tube, E, which extends downward through the plate, P, below the quicksilver line, Q. The plate P is cast and iorined with a circular inclined or flaring wall, I, meeting the sides oi the sluice column, E, to make an intermediate chamber, I, surrounding the sluice column, E, and around the circumference oi this intermediate chamher, I, the four or more tailings columns, A, B, C, D, etc., are arranged. These tailings columns, or outlet pipes, are made to flare up perfectly from a smaller to a larger diameter, and each extends up through, and empties itself above the top, T. The top, T, tapers downward from the center to the outside edge or circumterence.

For convenience in carrying away the tailings, a trough, G, is hung around the machine, said trough made preferably of sheet iron, terminates in an apron, from which the tailings are carried by ordinary sluice box to the dump.

Through the walls of the four or more tailings columns, A, B, C, D, are apertures or holes, I-I, drilled at an angle of 45 degrees to its horizontal diameter and in the wall J of chamber I are similar apertures 11 the direction of which is directly opposite that of the apertures H. These holes, H and H cause the water to enter the over-flow or tailings columns, A, B, C, D, and the intermediate chamber I, in a way to cause the material therein to be given a whirling motion similar to panning.

S is an aperture or hole in the wall W, for the admission of water under pressure through a pipe S. The top, T, is fastened to the angle iron at top of wall W by nut bolts.

My drawings show a machine with tour tailings columns, but my idea is to have more than four if possible, that is, the larger the machine, the more tailings columns of the same size as the smaller iour column machine.

The operation of my amalgamator may be described as follows: The (quicksilver) basin, P, is filled with quicksilver to the level of line Q. The gold bearing sand, or other disintegrated gold bearing material is poured into the funnel, F, and passes down through the tubular sluice column E, into the mercin'y basin, P, depositing its gold in passing through the mercury. From the mercury basin it rises to the intermediate chamber, 1. At the same time, water, under pressure, is admitted through the 'pipe S, into the chamber, 0, formed bythe wall, W, top, T, and plate, P, and thence through the apertures H, into the intermediate chamber, I, and through the apertures PI into the tailings or overflow pipes, A, B, 0 dz D. The water entering the intermediate chamber 1, causes the material within said chamber to be panned by a whirling motion, said panning being for the purpose of settling any broken up mercury, or depositing any gold of the gold bearing material that may have failed to amalgamate in its passage from the sluice column, E,through the quicksilver, up into the intermediate chamber, I. From this intermediate chamber, I, the material is forced, with less resistance, by the continued pouring into the funnel F, into the tailings columns A, B, O & D, where the tailings are further panned, to cause any broken quicksilver to descend and unite with the main or large body of quicksilver in the vessel, P. The water, under pressure from the chamber 0, enters holes H in said flared tailings pipes or columns A, B, C dz D, etc., in the manner shown in Fig. 1, and causes the whirling motion of the water and material therein, this motion being what I term panning, and this is also for the purpose of depositing any broken up quicksilver or gold that may have escaped from the intermediate chamber I. The tailings pipes ex tending above the top, T, the tailings running oil oi top T Irom the openings in the said tailings columns, T, to the surrounding trough, G, and apron, do not interfere with the whirling or circular motion oi the water in said tailings columns.

The means for withdrawing the amalgam is a suitable valve, V.

L represents legs fitted to lugs cast on bottom oi plate P.

Having thus described the invention what I believe to be new and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

1. An amalgamator, comprising an approximately circular case having a mercury-holding basin and provided with means for the admission of water under pressure to its in terior, said casing also having, within its interior, walls relatively arranged to provide a centrally disposed sluice column, a series of perfectly flaring outlet columns around said sluice column and a chamber surrounding the base of the sluice column and arranged between the same and the outlet columns, said columns and chamber each opening into said basin and the walls of said chamber and the outlet columns having openings for the admission of water thereto.

2. An amalgamator comprising an approximately circular case having a mercury-holding basin at its bottom and provided interior-1y with a sluice column and a series of flaring outlet columns around said sluice column, the walls of said sluice and outlet columns being relatively arranged to provide a space between them and said space provided with a wall and constituting a chamber intermediate the inner ends of the sluice column and outlet columns, said wall and the walls of the outlet columns being apertured for the admission of water thereto, and said sluice column, outlet columns and chamber each opening into said basin.

3. An amalgamator comprising an approximately circular case having a mercury-holding basin at its bottom and provided interiorly with a sluice column and a series of flaring outlet columns around said sluice column, the walls of said sluice and outlet columns being relatively arranged to provide a space .between them and said space provided with a wall and constituting a chamber intermediate the inner ends of the sluice column and outlet columns, said wall and the walls of the outlet columns being apertured for the admission of water thereto and the apertures in the chamber wall being directed to cause the material in said chamber to be given a rotary motion in a direction the reverse of that given to it in the outlet columns, and said slu ice column, outlet columns and chamber each opening into said basin.

4. An amalgamator comprising an approximately circu lar case, a centrally disposed sluice column therein, a series of outlet columns disposed around said sluice column, said sluice and outlet columns each circular in cross section and said outlet columns having apertured walls and having their inner ends so related to the inner end of the sluice column as to provide a chamber between the same and sur rounding the lower end of the sluice column, and a mercury holding basin arranged below said columns and chamber and having an approximately flat bottom, said columns and chamber opening at their inner ends into said basin.

An amalgamator comprising a casing having provision for the inlet of water thereto, and provided with a mercury holding basin, a sluice column, and outlet columns having apertured Walls, said sluice and outlet columns having communication with said basin and having their walls relatively arranged to provide between them a chamber which also communicates with the basin and is adapted to receive the broken-up mercury.

(i. An amalgamator, comprising a case having a mercury basin and provided interiorly with a series of walls relatively arranged to form a sluice column, outlet columns and a chamber between said sluice column and outlet columns, each of said columns and the chamber opening into said basin, said chamber and outlet columns each having provision for hydraulically giving the material therein a whirling or rotary motion.

7. An amalgamator, having a sluice column, a mercury basin and an outlet column, in combination with a wall arranged to form a chamber which is in communication with the mercury basin and is located between thesluice column and outlet column, said wall of the chamber being apertured, and said amalgamator having provision for the supply of fluid under pressure to the interior of said chamber.

8. An amalgamator, having a sluice column, a mercury basin, an outlet column which is in communication with said basin and has an apertured wall, said columns relatively arranged to provide between them a space which is in communication with said basin and a wall in said space extending inclinatorily from the inlet end of the outlet column to the sluice column and apertured for the admission of liquid under pressure thereto.

9. An amalgamator, having a sluice column, a mercury basin, and means adapted to subject the material to whirling or rotary motion, comprising a plurality of outlet columns each of which is in communication with said basin and has an apertured wall, said outlet columns being regularly flared from their inner to their outer ends and having their walls at their inner ends separated from the wall of the sluice column to provide a space between the same adapted to receive the broken up mercury and a wall in said space extending inclinatorily between the sluice column and outlet columns and apertured for the admission of water thereto.

10. An amalgamator, having a sluice column, a mercury basin, a plurality of walls arranged relatively to each other and the wall of the sluice column to provide, around the latter, outlet columns and achamber between the outlet columns and sluice columns, said sluice column, outlet columns and chamber opening into said basin and the walls of said outlet columns and chamber being provided with water-admission apertures so directed that the material in the chamber and outlet columns will be given a whirling motion.

11. An amalgamator, having a sluice column, a mercury basin, a plurality of walls arranged relatively to each other and the wall of the sluice column to provide, around the latter, outlet columns and a chamber between the outlet columns and sluice column, said sluice column, outlet columns and chamber opening into said basin, and the walls of said outlet columns and chamber being provided with water-admission apertures so directed that the material in the chamber and outlet columns will be given a whirling motion, in reverse directions.

12. An amalgamator, having a sluice column, a mercury basin, a plurality of outlet columns each of which is in communication with said basin and has an apertured wall, said outlet columns being regularly flared from their inner to their outer ends and having their walls at their inner ends separated Irom the wall of the sluice column to provide a space between the same adapted to receive the broken-up mercury, and an apertured wall in said space extending inclinatorily between the sluice column and outlet columns, the apertures in the walls of said outlet columns and chamber being adapted to admit water thereto and s0 directed that the material in the outlet columns will be given a whirling motion in a direction the reverse of that given to it in said chamber.

13. An amalgamator, comprising a case, having means for the admission of water thereto, a sluice column, a mercury basin, a plurality of outlet columns around said sluice column, said case, sluice column and outlet columns having walls relatively arranged to provide a water chamber around the outlet columns and between the same and the sluice column, and the walls of said outlet columns apertured for the admission of water thereto from said chamber; and an apertured wall arranged in the space between the outlet columns and sluice column, adapted to provide a chamber between said columns, said columns and chamber having communication with said basin.

14. An amalgamator, comprising a case, having means for the admission of water thereto, a sluice column, a mercury basin, a plurality of outlet columns around said sluice column, said case, sluice column and outlet columns having walls relatively arranged to provide a water cham her around the outlet columns and between the same and the sluice column, and the walls of said outlet columns apertured for the admission of water thereto from said chamber; and an apertured wall arranged in the space between the outlet columns and sluice column, adapted to'provide a chamber between said columns, said columns and chamber having communication with said basin, and the apertures in the walls of said outlet columns and the last mentioned chamber being so directed that the material in the outlet columns will be given a whirling motion in a direction the reverse of that given to it in said chamber.

15. An amalgamator, comprising a case having means for the admission of water thereto, a sluice column, a mercury basin, a plurality of regularly flared outlet columns around said sluice column, said case, sluice column and outlet columns having walls relatively arranged to provide a water chamber around the outlet columns and between the same and the sluice column, and the walls of said outlet columns apertured for the admission of water thereto from said chamber; and a wall arranged in the space between the outlet columns and sluice column, adapted to provide a chamber between said columns, said wall being apertured for the admission of water thereto from the water chamber, and said columns and chamber having communication with said basin.

16. An amalgamator, comprising a case having means for the admission of water thereto, a sluice column, a mercury basin, a plurality of regularly flared outlet col umns around said sluice column, said case, sluice column and outlet columns having walls relatively arranged to provide a water chamber around the outlet columns and between the same and the sluice column, and the walls of said outlet columns apertured for the admission of water thereto from said chamber; and an inclined wall arranged in the space between the outlet columns and sluice column, adapted to provide a chamber between said columns, said wall being apertured for the admission of water thereto from the water chamber, the apertures in the walls of said outlet columns and chamber being so directed that the material in the outlet columns will be given a whirling motion in a direction the reverse of that given to it in said chamber, and said sluice column, outlet columns and chamber having communication with said basin.

17. An amalgamator, comprising an approximately circular case having means for the admission of water thereto, a sluice column centrally disposed therein, a mercury basin a plurality of outlet columns disposed around said sluice column and each circular in cross section and regularly flared from its inner to its outer end, said case, sluice column and outlet columns having walls relatively arranged to provide a water chamber around the outlet columns and between the same and the sluice column, and the walls of said outlet columns apertured for the admission of water thereto from said chamber; and an apertured wall arranged in the space between the outlet columns and sluice column, adapted to provide a chamber between said columns, said columns and chamber having communication with said basin.

18. An amalgamator comprising an approximately circular case. having its top inclined from the center toward the circumference, a mercury-holding basin at the bottom of said casing, said basin provided with means for Withdrawing amalgam and said case provided with means through which water under pressure is admitted to its interior, a sluice column disposed in the center of said case and opening into said basin, a series of outlet columns disposed around the sluice column and each opening into said basin and extending to a place above 'the top of the case, each of said outlet columns being perfectly flared from its lower to its upper end and having apertures for the inlet of water thereto arranged to cause the material to have a whirling motion given thereto, said sluice column and outlet columns being relatively arranged to provide a space between the same, and an apertured wall in said space forming, with the sluice column, a chamber which is open to the mercury basin. said wall having its apertures directed so that the water which enters thereinto from the case will give the material a whirling motion in a direction the reverse of that which it is given in the outlet columns.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM H. STI GLITZ.

Witnesses CHARLES R. WRIGHT, KING DENT. 

